Weed control mechanism



July 9, 1935 w. A. WALTHERS 2,@@7532 WEED CONTROL MECHAI SM Filed Aug. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y July 9, 1935. w. A. WALTHERS 2,007,51

' wEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 *Patented .uly'9, 1935v 'f' UNI-II'ED#l QFFIEV 2,007,511 y i I j WEEnooNrRoL e e WiuiarA;-Walthergf-Daltonjwis.

\ npplicatibn Augst'zo. 1934; serial No.1 740.682

` ""jiselaii'nsf (01.1"15-442)` l This invention relates to improvements'in weed,

control mechanism, and' more particularly. toa novel -deviceadaptedt'be` attached tothe bottom of .a boat or the like for the purpose of deecting l heavy and surface Weeds or the 'like. i

A- difliculty commonly encountered. in 'connection With 'the navigation of.L boatsior 'the'. like, particularly those propelled by'means of outboard motors, in shallow streams, is thatthe propeller often becomes. clogged by entangling -Weedsyor the'like Whichabound;onY thelbed-.or beds of such streams, oftenjresulting in .irreparable damage kto the comparatively delicateand expensive mecha nism ofthe outboard'motor, particularly its prof peller. j s .'The primary object ofthe present inventionis `to overcomethe above mentioned'. diffcultyxby eliminating or deflecting the aforementioned vegetative growth (heavy: or 'surface Weeds Vor thexlike) from' the" path'offsaid' propeller.' ."Io

this end, accordingwtouthe'presentinvention, al novel 'and 'improved ,Weedi rod 'controlling ordee fleeting mechanism is provided onthelbottom of the boat'inadvance'of thepr0pel1er; 1.' l.

Another. object' is to provide a Weedrdeflecting mechanism of theY character above outlined Which is of simple construction but of high efliciency and capableof readyand Aeasy operation,

A further object is to provide a `device of this 304 character adapted to beueasilyimountedjupon. the bottom of a boat or the like, and of such .con-i structionas to oier no substantial 4resistance :to the'forward movement-oitheboats i l A still further object is tofurnish iadevice of 352 this characterwith control meansffor placing-the Weed deflecting rods into operative or inoperative position, said control means fbeing'freadily avail-i E able for manipulation by the operator from within theboat. f

With the iforegoing objects outlinedandlwith' 'other'objects in view Whi'cnvvill appear. asthe description proceeds, the invention consists `in the novel features hereinafter described/in detail,`

illustrated in the `accompanying"drawings,` and Fig.`3 isa p lan view taken on the linej33fot 555 Fig...2.

Fig. 4 isfatopf planwview ofthe weed deflector mechanism'per se, takenon theline 4 4 of Fig. 2; Y ;Fig'.:5 is across sectional View taken on the line Fig. 6 is a similar of Figa:

Figs.:'7 and 8 `aretopplan' views showing" the Weed'-deecting rods'noffmy device' in operative and inoperative positions respectively.

Referringto the drawings in detail, Fig. 1 illustrates a'; conventional boat I0, on'the stern of which is l-mounted an outboard motor Il of any suitable wtype provided-With the usualipro'peller I 2. Securelymounted on the bottom of'boat I is a Weed deflecting deviceconstructed in accordance with the'fp'resent invention and indicated gen'- erallyat` I3:

1 As clearly-` shown inlFig's. 2, '7 and 8 of 'the drawings; the* illustrated exemplary preferred embodiment of the inventioncomprises,- as its view taken on the line 6 -6 essential. elements, the? weeddeflecting rofds i4;

bearing means-I5.` for supporting the 'rods' I4, actuatingrrmeans I 6 '.for 'imparting movement to the rodsI 4 togand from` operative and inoperative position thereof ,1 and guide means' I I for' determining the'directio-n of v'suchmovement Referring-'mst to'the'actuatingmechanism IS of` my. device;A4 tl1is-=includes a spindle 'supporting standard comprising; a` base plate I8,` securely mounted on.thembottorn B 'of boat I0, and aV plu-v rality/of upwardly; extending arcuate legs I9 'or the 'likewhichterminate' at the upper ends thereof'ina-hollofwf cylindrical guide bearing; Ex-

tending through the'rbottom'B l of boat Il) and through the base plate I8, is a sleeve or bushing 2 I' 'Whichvisfilanged vat fitslovverlendk 22j and terminates '-lni adinstable'apacking.'v 23 at its upper end; said. packing; being held position by an adjustable nutElfthreaded` on said. sleeve.` Leek nut 24, `threadedonto.the exterior or" sleeve 2l, securelynretainsthef' latter in position, supplementary means lforlg'ireventing movementof the sleeve being providedin the form of conical: lugs'25fon flange122; saidrlugs'biting into the bottomzB'of' the-boat. The vboreor sleeve` 2l is ar' ranged' in -alinementWiththebore of guide bearing' so that control.l Vshaft'or 'spindle'lf' may extend therethrough.' Spindle 26 terminates "at the lower end .thereof in a headed' enlargementY 21,"and is lprovided lat itsupper end with a guide 28;"secure1ylafli'xed thereto-by means of bolts 29 or theflike;` Guidei-'Zxis' journalled forsliding movementiinaguideffbearing 2l).A Threaded into 'the exterior surtaceaofguidf'28fisia control lever 30 which extends from the guide through a parti-circumferential cam slot 3I provided in the guide bearing 20. It is apparent that by simply moving lever 30 along the cam slot 3| from the uppermost lever position, shown in full lines in Fig. 2, to the lowermost lever position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, a corresponding movementl is imparted to the guide 28 and control spindle 26. Return of control lever 30 to its initial position will result in a return movement of the guide and spindle.

As shown on the drawings, the lower end of the spindle 26 projects beyond the bottom of the boat f into a housing 32. Loosely mounted on the head 21 of the spindle 26, within the housing 32,7`is a control plate member 33. The latter. is a two part construction consisting of a lower plate 34, which is provided with upstanding anges on three sides thereof, and an upper plate 35 which is bolted to the lower plate 34 at 36 and is provided with a substantially central opening through which the spindle 26 extends. As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the plates 34 and 35 kdefine an open ended casing, the internal height of which is substantially equal to that of the head 2l. r

Housing 32, which is mounted onto the bottom B of the boat by means of bolts 3l, is open at the rear end thereof and terminates at its front end in upwardly sloping and transversely' tapering walls, thereby decreasing the resistance to forward movement of the boat. In addition to the control plate member 33 and the lower VYend of the spindle 26, the housing 32 also encloses the rod supporting means I5 and the guide means I1.

Supporting means I5 consists of a-two part cylindrical member extending between the walls of the housing 32 at the posterior end thereof and being supported by gudgeons 38 extending from the ends of the bearing member I5 into suitable bearing openings in the housing walls. Bearing member I5 is provided with a plurality of Vspaced substantially horizontally disposed bores 39, cor-A responding in number to the number of rods I4 which pass through' j these bores. VVertically alined pivot seats are countersunk from the bores 39, and pivots 40, mounted on the rods I4, are seated in said seats (see Figs. 2 and 5). The two parts of member I5 are bolted together by suitable securing means 4I or the like.' As a. result of the aforedescribed construction oil member I5, it will be seen thatV the rods I4 are severally mounted for universal movement, .being capable of movement about vthe longitudinal axis of gudgeons 38 and aboutl their own several pivots 40. 1

Depending from a transverse bar 42, which extends across the top of the housing 32, is a guide member I'I. This member, which, as shown., is arranged between the bearing member I5 and the actuating means I6, consists of an angle iron or the like 43, one leg of which is bolted to the bar 42,v and the other or depending leg of which is provided with a plurality of slots 44 (corresponding in number to the number of rods I4), through which the weed rods are also passed. The'central slot 44, which coacts with the central rod I4, is arranged vertically, while the slots on either side of the central slot are inclined upwardly toward the latter, the degree of inclination of the outermost slots being greater thanY that of the intermediate slots, and the inclination oi' corresponding slots being substantially the same butin opposite directions. The purpose of :this arrangement Will hereinafter appear- Rods I4 may be considered as comprising relatively short anterior portions I4 and relatively elongated posterior portions I4, the line of demarcation between such anterior and posterior portions extending through pivots 40. Rods I4 extend, as shown in Fig. l, from a point adjacent the stern of the boat slightly forward of the propeller I2, which is to be protected, through the bores 39 of the support I5, through slots 44 of the guide II, terminating finally within plate member 33, through the open end of which they project.

Intermediate rods I4 are preferably somewhat shorter than outermost rods I4, as a result of the disposition of head I1 within the member 33.

Central rod I4 is substantially rectilinear, i. e. the anterior and posterior portions thereof are in alinement. The posterior and anterior portions, I4 and I4, of the other weed defiecting rods I4, are severally bent relative to each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The relationship between the angles of bend orbent rods I4 andthe angles of inclination of inclined slots 44 is such that when lever 30 is in its uppermost position, i. e. when anterior portions I4 are at the top of slots 44, these portions I4 are mutually parallel (Figl) while portions I4 are lowered andrin the expanded or spread out operative weed-defiecting position (Figs. l and 7). On the other hand, when the lever 30 Ais lowered, depressing the spindle 26, plate member 33 and portions I4', the latter are positioned adjacent the lower ends of slots 44 and, as a result of the downwardly flaredl arrangement of the latter, portions I4 are spread apart, while portions I4 assume the raised and parallel inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 8 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Bores 39 are'provided with proper clearance to enablethe rods I4 to move freely during movementthereof. The extent of movement of the rods is, of course, limited by the extent and position of the slots 44.

The operation of the device is deemed to be obvious from' the foregoing description thereof. The action of the weed deflecting rod portions I4, when in their lowered and operative position, is clearly illustrated in lig.A 1 of the drawings, `it being evident that they will clear a proper channel for the propeller I2 through weeds and other vegetative growth W, thus preventing entanglement of the propeller in such growth and avoiding possible injury thereto. It is also clear that the rod portions I4 offer little or no resistance to forward movement of the boat when they are in Ythe raised or inoperative position shown in broken lines in Fig, 1.

YFrom the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and it is apparent that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

' What I claim and desire to secure by Letters pellerfat Vthe stern thereof; means. for,y clearing aachannel through-vegetative growth. for. said propeller, said means comprisingfa plurality of weed deiiecting rods normally arranged 'adjacent thebottom of the boatin advance 4of. saidzpro'- peller, andmanually operatedlmeans for lowerA peller at the stern thereof, means for clearing a channel through vegetative growth for said propeller, said means comprising a plurality of Weeddeilecting rods normally arranged adjacent the bottomvof the boat in advance of:V said propeller, means orlowering said rodsV into weed deilecting` position, the'last mentioned means includingY a spindle loosely connected to said rods, and-a lever secured to the spindlel for moving the latter upwardly or downwardly; l

peller at the stern thereof, means for clearingV a channel through vegetative growth for vsaid propeller, said means comprising a plurality of weed deiiecting rods normally arranged adjacent vthe bottom of the boat inadvance of said propeller, means for lowering said rods into weed deecting position, the last mentioned means including a pair of sleeves secured to the bottom of said boat, a spindle passing through said sleevesr and loosely connected to one end of said rods, one ofsaid sleeves having a cam slot, and a lever projecting laterally from said spindle and slidable in said slot. Y 1

7. Weed deflecting mechanism adapted to be mounted on the bottom of a boat orthe like, said mechanism comprising a, plurality of weed deilecting rods normally arranged in parallel inoperative position, supporting means for said rods, means operable from within theboat forv spreading said rods into operative position, and guide means for controlling the extent of such movement. Y Y

8. Weeddeflecting mechanism including a casing adapted to be mounted on the bottom of a and guide means for controlling the` mountedon the Vbottomof` a boat orv the like;

saidmechanism comprising a plurality of weed deflectingsrods, supportingmeans forV said rods, means operable from withinfthe boat for moving saidrodsfrom .operative to inoperative position andvice-versa and a guideplate depending from the bottom of said boat and having spacedl inclined slots for vcontrolling the direction and extent Yof such movement of said rods.

10. In arweed dei-lecting apparatus of the character described, including a casing adapted to be mounted on the bottom of a boat or'the like, said casing'h'aving an open end and provided at its other end with an upwardly inclined bottom and side walls, a plurality of weed deflecting rods arranged .in said casing and projecting outwardly through the open end thereof, means journaled in' said ,casing and' supporting said rods, `and Ameansv projecting upwardly from said casing through the bottom ofV said boat for raising or lowering .said rods.

1l. In a weed deflecting apparatus of the char,- acter described, including a-c'asing adapted to be mounted onV the bottom of a boat or the like, said casing having an open end'and provided at its other end with an upwardly inclined'bottom and side walls,- a plurality of weed deflecting` rods=ar ranged in said casing and projecting outwardlyV thrcughthe open end thereof, means journaled in said casing and supporting said rods, means projecting Aupwardly from said casing through the ,bottom` of said boat for raising or lowering said rods, and guide means within said casing for controlling the direction and extent of such move- .ment of said rods. Y

12. In a weed deflecting apparatus of the character described, including a casing adapted to beV mounted on the bottom of a boat or the like, said casing having an open end and provided at its other end with an upwardly inclined bottom and sidey walls, a plurality of weed deflecting rods arranged in said casing and projecting outwardly through the open end thereof, means journaled in said casing and supporting said rods, means projecting upwardly from said casing Vthrough the bottom of said boat for raising or lowering said rods, and guide means within said casing and interposed between saidV last mentioned means and said supporting means for controlling the direction and extent of such movement of said rods. Y

13. In a weed deflecting apparatus of the character described, including a casing adapted to be mounted on the bottom of aboat or the like, said casing having an open end and provided at its other end with an upwardly inclined bottom and side walls, a plurality of weed defleoting rods arranged in said casing and projecting outwardly through the open end thereof, means journaled in saidcasing and supporting said rods, means projecting upwardly from said casing through the bottom of said boat for raising orlowering said rods, and guide means within said casing for controlling the. direction and extent of such movement of said rods, said last mentioned means including a plate having a plurality of inclined slots through which said rods pass.

14.` Weed deflecting apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality of weed deflectingrods normally arranged in inoperative position, means for supporting said rods,.and means for moving said rods to operative position and for simultaneously increasing the effective area covered by said rods.

15. In combination with a boat or the like,

Weed deiiecting mechanism mounted on the boat bottom, said mechanism comprising an expansible and contractible weed deecting member, means for mounting said member for pivoting movement intermediate the ends thereof, means operable from the interior of the boat for actuating said deecting member, and means disposed between said mounting means and said actuating means for expanding or contracting said member during movement thereof.

16. In a weed deliecting apparatus of the character described, including a casing adapted to be mounted on the bottom of a boat or the like, said casing having an open end and provided at its other end with an upwardly inclined bottom and side Walls, a plurality of weed deiiecting rods arranged in said casing and projecting outwardly through the open end thereof, means journaled in said casing and pivotally supporting said rods intermediate the ends thereof, and means projecting upwardly from said casing through the bottom of said boat for actuating said rods.

17. In a weed deflecting apparatus of the character described, including a casing adapted to be mounted on the bottom of a boat or the like, said casing having an open end and provided at its other end with an upwardly inclined bottom and side walls, a plurality of weed deflecting rods arranged in said casing and projecting outwardly through the open end thereof, a supporting member journaled in said casing and having a plurality of apertures adapted to receive said rods,

means for pivoting said rods in said apertures, means projecting upwardly from said casing through the bottom of said boat for actuating said rods, and a guide plate in said casing arranged between said supporting member and said actuating means for controlling the direction and extent of movement of said rods.

18. A weed deiiecting apparatus adapted to be mounted on the bottom of a boat or the like, comprising a plurality of weed deiiecting rods, means for pivotally supporting said rods intermediate the ends thereof, a plate depending from the bottoni of said boat and having a plurality of inclined slots adapted to receive said rods, a spindle projecting upwardly through the bottom of said boat, means at the lower end of said spindle for loosely connecting the latter to one end of said rods, and means at the upper end of said spindle for raising or lowering the latter and thereby actuating said rods, the slots in said depending plate controllingr the direction and extent of movement of said rods.

19.V Weed defiecting mechanism adapted to be maintained on the bottom of a boat or the like, said mechanism comprising a plurality of weed deflect-ing rods normally arranged in parallel inoperative position adjacent the bottom of said boat, supporting means for said rods, and means operable from within the boat for spreading said rods into operative position.

WILLIAM A. WALTI-DERS. 

